MILWAUKEE — The political spotlight falls on Milwaukee on Friday, November 1.
With former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris set to visit that night, those traveling around the city and near the airport can expect temporary traffic closures.
Previous Coverage: https://www.tmj4.com/america-votes/both-presidential-candidates-scheduled-to-visit-milwaukee-on-friday
According to local law enforcement, former President Trump is expected to arrive around 5:50 p.m. and depart at 8:45 p.m. Vice President Harris will arrive around 8:05 p.m. and leave Saturday around 10:00 a.m.
By the airport, E. Layton Avenue between S. Howell and S. Pennsylvania will be closed for arrival and departure times. Highway 794 will also be temporarily closed.
For businesses and neighbors off Layton Avenue, that means plenty of navigation changes.
Marisa Matthiesen’s neighborhood has a front-row seat to these high-profile political visits.
“When candidates come in town or any celebrity that's supporting a candidate, our entire street is packed with cars,” said Matthiesen.
With the traffic changes, she’s already preparing for visitors to stop by and get a glimpse of the planes and motorcades.
“I’m excited that they're both going to be here tomorrow, but I’m definitely going to leave work early tomorrow, so I don't hit any of the traffic,” said Matthiesen.
Watch: Airport neighbors prepare for campaign traffic crunch Friday
Restaurants like In Plane View are also preparing for their main corridor to shut down temporarily.
Michele is a bartender there. She told TMJ4 that Friday is one of their busier nights due to their fish fry.
She advises customers to park down the side streets so they don’t get stuck. Law enforcement will shut down the sidewalks out front and their parking lot.
However, getting stuck isn’t always a bad thing due to the view the restaurant offers.
“It’s great because they come right here into signature so you can see them,” said Michele. “You see them come past and pull in; you see them getting on their plane, so it's kind of cool.”
Her biggest tip is to plan ahead and arrive early.
The Harris event at State Fair Park is scheduled to start at 6:00 p.m. Trump’s rally begins at 7:00 p.m.
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